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Crunchyroll Ltd.
FormerlyGolden Square Music (1987–1991)
Island World Communications (1991–1993)
Manga Entertainment (1993–2021)
Funimation UK and Ireland (2021–2022)
Company typeDivision
Crunchyroll UK and Ireland
IndustryEntertainment
GenreAnime
Founded4 December 1987; 36 years ago (1987-12-04)
Headquarters
Brunel Building, 2 Canalside Walk, 12th Floor
Paddington, London, England
W2 1DG[1]
,
United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom, Ireland
Products
ParentIsland World Group (1987–1997)
Starz Distribution (2004–2015)
Crunchyroll, LLC (2019–present)[a]

Crunchyroll Ltd., trading as Crunchyroll UK and Ireland, is an anime distributor and licensing company in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founded in 1987 as Island World Communications, the company operated as Manga Entertainment Ltd. until 2021. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crunchyroll, LLC, run by Sony through Sony Pictures Television and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex.

History

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See also: Manga Entertainment § History
The former Manga Entertainment logo used from 2015 until 2021

Original history

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Golden Square Music was founded in London in 1987 by Chris Blackwell and Andy Frain as a subsidiary of Island Records' Island World Group. Golden Square Music changed its name to Island World Communications in 1991, and to Manga Entertainment in 1993. Manga Entertainment expanded into North America in 1993 with the purchase of L.A. Hero, renamed to Manga U.S.. Over time, Manga Entertainment changed ownership from IDT Entertainment, Liberty Media, and Starz Media.

In November 2014, it was revealed that Manga UK's Director of Marketing and Acquisitions Jerome Mazandarani, and product manager Andrew Hewson had left Manga Entertainment to form Animatsu Entertainment, a new anime licensing company. The company was registered on 11 September 2014, with Mazandarani becoming COO and Hewson becoming marketing manager.[2] On 13 January 2015, Animatsu announced that it had reached a licensing deal with Sentai Filmworks to distribute titles in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company would also enter into a sales and marketing partnership with Manga UK. With the partnership, Animatsu was responsible for licensing, marketing, and brand management, while Manga UK was responsible for distribution and sales.[3]

On 26 February 2015, the UK branch was acquired from Starz Media, alongside its parent Anchor Bay UK, by managing director Colin Lomax.[4] Anchor Bay UK was renamed to Platform Entertainment and went on to have exclusive rights to the Manga Entertainment branding and catalog in the UK and Ireland.[5] In September of that year, Mazandarani revealed that Animatsu and Manga UK were in the process of merging operations.[6] The Animatsu brand would ultimately be phased out, with its final release being Hello! KINMOZA, released on 2 July 2018.[7] Animatsu Entertainment was dissolved on 31 December 2019.[8]

On 17 June 2016, it was announced that Animatsu had acquired the global rights to the film In This Corner of the World, with Mazandarani credited as "Overseas Manager" for the film.[9] Animatsu later announced that it had reached a distribution deal with Shout! Factory to distribute the film in North America.[10] In the same month, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution announced they had purchased Platform Entertainment and confirmed that they would split Manga UK off as an independent company.[11]

Prior to 2016, Funimation sublicensed its properties for the UK and Ireland market through companies Revelation Films, MVM Entertainment, then-independent Manga Entertainment, and Anime Limited. In 2016, Funimation began directly releasing its titles in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with Funimation handling licensing, localization and branding, and Anime Limited handling distribution and classification.[12] Funimation later distributed My Hero Academia through Universal Pictures UK in 2017,[13] and later through Sony Pictures UK, along with other select titles, in 2018.[14] Funimation later began sub-licensing titles to Manga Entertainment's UK branch in late 2018, before acquiring the company on 29 May 2019.[15]

Sony acquisition

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On 29 May 2019, Sony Pictures, the parent company of American anime distributor Funimation, had announced that they had acquired Manga UK, and was merging its UK and Ireland operations into Manga UK.[15] Manga UK managing director Jerome Mazandarani stated that the acquisition would secure more content for Manga Entertainment, while being able to pursue licenses outside of Funimation.[16]

On 30 May 2019, Manga UK announced that they were co-producing the anime television series Cannon Busters with Netflix.[17]

On 12 April 2021, Funimation announced that Manga Entertainment would officially rebrand to Funimation in the UK and Ireland on 19 April 2021, with the Manga Entertainment brand name remaining on select releases within the region. They stated in a press release that the distribution of digital, physical and theatrical anime would continue "without interruption". Blue Exorcist and Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga joined the Funimation catalog in the UK and Ireland the same day, to celebrate the merger.[18]

On 28 March 2022, the company changed its legal name to Crunchyroll Manga Ltd.[19] and again on 21 July 2022 to Crunchyroll Ltd.[20]

Notes

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  1. ^ Through a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex, itself a division of Sony Music Entertainment Japan

References

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  1. ^ "CRUNCHYROLL LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
  2. ^ Osmond, Andrew (13 November 2014). "Jerome Mazandarani Leaves Manga Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  3. ^ Osmond, Andrew (13 January 2015). "Animatsu Announces First Titles and Marketing Partnership". Anime News Network. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Starz Sells Manga Entertainment". Anime News Network. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Colin Lomax, former Anchor Bay UK chief, dies aged 56". Screen. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  6. ^ Sevakis, Justin (17 September 2015). "What Ever Happened to Manga Entertainment? (PART TWO: UK Edition)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Manga UK Announces Their Summer 2018 Release Slate". Anime UK News. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Animatsu Entertainment Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  9. ^ Mayorga, Emilio (16 June 2016). "Animatsu Picks Up Rights On 'Corner'". Variety. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Shout! Factory and Animatsu Entertainment Enter Film Distribution Deal" (Press release). Animatsu Entertainment. Anime News Network. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Kaleidoscope buys distributor Platform Entertainment". Screen.
  12. ^ Osmond, Andrew (13 May 2016). "Anime Limited to Distribute Funimation Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  13. ^ NormanicGrav (13 April 2017). "My Hero Academia Season 1 smashes its way to the UK this May!". Anime UK News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  14. ^ Stevens, Josh A. (5 March 2019). "Sony Confirms My Hero Academia Season 2, Part 1 for April Release". Anime UK News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  15. ^ a b Wright, Marshall (29 May 2019). "FUNIMATION ACQUIRES UK ANIME DISTRIBUTOR MANGA ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED". Funimation. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  16. ^ Stevens, Josh A. (29 May 2019). "UPDATED: Funimation Acquires Manga Entertainment UK". Anime UK News. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Reemsborko to Handle Netflix Original Cannon Busters". Licensing Magazine. 30 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  18. ^ "End of an Era: Manga Entertainment Rebrands to Funimation in the UK and Ireland". Anime UK News. 12 April 2021. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name" (PDF). Companies House. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name" (PDF). Companies House. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
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